Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, visited Worcester in early September to officially dedicate a new mobile care unit that will enable UMass Memorial Health to provide extended addiction treatment to communities.
According to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, the county’s opioid task force’s primary focus is removing obstacles to treatment. “One tablet is all it takes for someone to start going downward if they have the addictive gene, which 40 to 60 percent of us have,” Early stated. “This is going to be the path to healing. Here is where we begin and where we take action that ties us all together.”
The Community Care in Reach Mobile Unit, which is supported by the Kraft Center for Community Health, can provide addiction treatment anywhere, and the simplicity of access helps those seeking recovery.
Because it may connect with individuals who would not otherwise visit an emergency hospital because of concern that they wouldn’t be welcomed, Kraft sees it as a potent tool. “The chance to get treatment on an equal basis with everyone else not only saves but also prolongs their lives,” said Kraft.
The facility has a syringe exchange, detox supplies, and pharmaceuticals for treating addiction. Additionally, caregivers may help patients find long-term rehabilitation programs and counselors.
State Senator Harriette Chandler stated, “To see this amazing community and care extend out to where the patient is, wherever they are, is a step in the right way. I got to meet the crew who will be taking care of this group today, and they’re great.”
Additionally, the mobile unit provides preventive care, such as screenings, vaccinations, chronic illness management, hepatitis C treatment, and specialized medical attention.
Initially introduced in Boston in 2018, the Community Care in Reach initiative has subsequently been introduced in Brockton, Springfield, and Worcester. An innovative mobile health project called Community Care in Reach®, formerly known as CareZONE, brings together partners in preventative care, addiction assistance, and harm reduction to help those who are underserved by the medical system, suffering from homelessness, or struggling with addiction.
Community Treatment in Reach fights the opioid crisis by providing accessible, on-demand care while using a cutting-edge collaboration strategy. Experienced professionals from the Boston Public Health Commission’s AHOPE program and the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program provide a variety of services aboard the van and link patients to neighborhood health clinics, treatment facilities, or specialist care in Boston.
This ground-breaking initiative was first introduced in Boston in January 2018. The original Boston program and two more Community Care in Reach affiliates were among the four mobile addiction care locations around the Commonwealth that received funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in 2020. The Robert Kraft Family’s kind contribution of two mobile units to the additional locations in Worcester and Western Massachusetts greatly contributed to the program’s growth.
About Robert Kraft
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, was born and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he was educated in the public school system as a young boy. When it came time for college, he was accepted into Columbia University on a full academic scholarship. He won a scholarship to attend Harvard Business School after graduating from Columbia in 1963. He subsequently earned a master’s degree from Harvard Business School in business administration.
One of the most generous families anywhere in the world, Robert Kraft and his family give to a variety of NGOs, charities, and causes, including in the areas of women’s and children’s rights, education, youth sports and healthcare. Robert now serves as a trustee for Boston College, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Columbia University, and other institutions.
Both Robert Kraft and Myra Kraft were raised in philanthropic households that instilled these values in their families. They started their own philanthropic endeavor fifty years ago and instilled in their kids the value and importance of giving back. Youth and families all around the globe are now able to experience the power of this kind of generosity because of the Kraft family initiatives that promote cultural diversity, education, family, and health, thanks to the more than $400 million in gifts from the Kraft family and their various charities.
About the Kraft Center for Community Health
The Kraft Center for Community Health was established with a $25 million donation from Robert Kraft and The Kraft Family Foundation, who also continue to fund it. In 2010, Robert and Myra Kraft created The Kraft Center for Community Health with the goal of improving medically underprivileged individuals, families, and communities’ access to high-quality, affordable healthcare.
The Kraft Center for Community Health places a strong emphasis on an academic-community alliance that supports the professional advancement of doctors and nurses from all over the nation who are dedicated to enhancing the health of their communities.